HGTV Design Star is fast getting us to the place where we have a finale. Heck, last week we lost two of the designers, well, one was a designer, the other one probably didn’t deserve to be there at all. With that all being said, it was time for the latest in reality competition trends where a challenge is done for a military, police or firefighter’s family, which are always cool challenges to watch.

Tonight’s episode gives us two military families who are in desperate need of a living room makeover. Simple enough, right? Maybe, but when you have six giant design-egos, there is bound to be trouble in them there hills.

Clive had the designers meet him at Applebee’s, who wanted some PR time, I guess, as they sponsored the makeovers. I guess the teams were going to use Applebee menu items or something in their designs,or maybe not. The teams were Nathan, Lonnie and Jason for the Maldonado family and Dan, Torie and Antonio made up the Olson family team. Of course, both teams had military houses to deal with, which meant small, outdated spaces. The teams then headed to the houses to see what they had to design for.

Immediately, Torie and Antonio had color issues and Antonio said that clients choose designers to do rooms for them with color because they are usually color challenged and Torie, not wanting to step out of her comfort zone, said that if her clients want brown walls then that is what she would do. Uhh, Torie, Antonio is so right on this one. I bet Candice Olson would never just paint someone’s walls brown.

Antonio and Nathan were the designated shoppers for their teams and it was good to see Antonio not just relegated to building stuff for once. When Antonio came back, again Torie flipped out when the tan paint was conveniently missing. Lonnie became the building wench as she gripped about spending too much time, well, building stuff needed for the room.

As day one came to a close, the tension between Dan, Antonio and Torie was boiling to the top as everyone was still obsessing about the tan paint tat Antonio effused to buy for the family room for the Olson’s and finally Antonio said, “Fine, you guys just go shopping and I will build stuff.” Torie then finally went shopping and it looked like trouble.

Jason was off shopping for the Maldonado family design and Nathan and Lonnie were at each other’s throats as Lonnie was still hacked off about having to help Nathan with his furniture design. Torie was hell bent on filling as much brown as she could fit into the room for the Olson’s.

As day two finished, neither of the rooms looked as though they were even close to being done and the details that needed to be done seemed to be overwhelming. To top it off, the tensions between Torie and Antonio had not improved and Jason thought his team mates had dropped the ball was well.

Day three gave the teams two hours to complete the rooms and it looked as though both teams were so screwed. The Maldonado team looked as though they were not going to complete a desk that the family had asked for and as time ended, Host Clive Pearse told the designers that he would see them in the elimination room.

Team Maldonado first stepped forward and the room actually looked pretty put together when it was all said and done. The judges were not excited about the rooms as it was not as contemporary as what the family wanted. Vern was not so excited about Nathans big furniture design and was concerned about the time spent on the piece. It looked as though this room was not impressing at all but the clients, not knowing any better, liked it.

Team Olson was next to be racked over the coals by the judges and the color issue once again reared its ugly head as Antonio and Torie just could not let it go. Antonio was firm in his commitment to not be so tan-inclined. Vern so agreed with Antonio and the other judges agreed with the way the room turned out. The room was a huge hit for the judges and for The Olson family, as well.

The judges then went about judging and, as usual, we could not tell who they were dissing and who was safe, although the Olson room came out much better and was more liked by the judges. Clive called team Olson out first and deemed safe. Team Maldonado was called out and Lonnie was immediately deemed safe, leaving Nathan and Jason in the hot seat.

In the end, Nathan’s inexperience in time management sunk him and sent his show into early cancelation and we learned that kids would be the next victims for the five remaining designers next week, which should be maddening.